Fear and anarchy
by Horrorfana
Summary: Nolanverse. Dr Quinzel has been handed her first big case, Dr Crane. As she struggles to keep up with the ex doctors mind games, Gotham is facing a new threat whose goal is to cause mayhem. Will Harlein be drawn into the chaos or will the fear get her first? Set during Dark Knight. ON HIATUS UNTIL THE MALLET OF INSPIRATION HITS ME.
1. Chapter 1

Session one

Harley takes a deep breath. She glances between the clock and the door to her office in anticipation.

It's okay. Jerry said I'm ready for this. But then again, I did 'convince' him a little. But I mean, he's my boss, he wouldn't assign me with one of the level threes if I wasn't ready. Right? Of corse I'm ready. He's just a man. Granted, he's the man who tried to poison the city last year, and used to have Jerrys job. When I asked for a tougher case, I thought he'd assign me a serial killer or a schitzofrenic. Not a newly admitted psychopath! And you know he's gonna be pissed. Why the hell do I have to be his first doctor?! Answer: nobody wants to treat their boss. Joan said that he was arrogant ass but I'm sure she isn't the only doctor who thinks so.

Harley snaps out of her thoughts as she hears knocking from outside the door.

"Dr Quinzel? I'm here with Mr Crane."

"Doctor."

"Yeah, you keep telling yourself that."

"I remember medical school quite clearly. Just as I remember you keeping quiet about my experiments on the security cameras."

Harley rolls her eyes.

"Come in."

The door opens and a security guard leads a very annoyed Johnatan Crane, restrained by a strait jacket, to the chair opposite Harleys. The guard roughly shoves him into the seat, receiving a cold glare from Crane. Harley smiles warmly at the guard.

"You can leave us now."

"Are you sure? If you are uncomfortable, I can stay and make sure he stays in line."

"That's alright. I'm not afraid of him."

Crane smirks. "I'll have to fix that."

The guard raises an eyebrow. "Are you sure you'll be okay?"

"Of corse."

"Fine. But if there's any trouble..."

"There's a panic button under her desk and enough sedatives in her desk to put down an elephant. Jerimiah wouldn't allow her to treat me if she didn't know the protocol. She says that she's fine, you can leave now."

The guard gives her a questioning look and Harley nods at him. He leaves them in the room alone. Harley turns back to Crane and switches on her tape recorder.

"Dr Quinzel overseeing patient 27263, otherwise known as Johnatan Crane, otherwise known as... The scarecrow. How are you adjusting to arkham, Johnatan?"

"Let's see, how would you feel if not one, but two highly successful careers that you worked hard for were suddenly ripped from you? Then to add insult to injury, you are locked away in your place of work. To have the doctor they assign you is completely inexperienced and probably spent more time spreading her legs than actually studying. It's utterly degrading and almost as humiliating as Miss Dawes being allowed to live after she dared to criticize my work. Tell me doctor, do you have even the slightest idea how degrading any of those things are?!"

"Can't say that I do. But it doesn't matter what you think of me, you'd hate anyone who treated you. That's probably why they gave me you."

"Wouldn't put it past them. They dispised me as I did them. Seeing as I'm your first, tell me Harlein..."

"How do you know my name?" Alarm tinted in her voice.

"I have my ways. So tell me, what are your theories on me?"

Harley shifts in her seat and clears his throat. Crane smirks.

"The medical version or my personal ideas?"

He raises an eyebrow in intrest.

"Yours."

"To be frank, based on the past few minutes and from your file, I'd say you have serious issues, but not what they diagnois you as. Technically, you are a psychopath seeing as you lack empathy. You're arrogant, manipulative, narcacistic, and based on your file, I'd say you have DID. But most of your previous employees were probably too afraid of losing your jobs to say anything about your erratic behavior. Then for the past nine months, you've been keeping a low profile by hiding your drugs in ecstasy. That is, until you got tied up and left for the police via the Batman. Am I close?"

"More than you realize. I'm impressed, you actually use some of that ten percent of your brain."

"And you're trying to scare me off by acting like an ass because part of you probably gets off on fear."

He glares at Harley.

"That's hardly professional conversation between a doctor and patient. Besides, I don't enjoy fear in that sense. It interests me. It controls every aspect of our lives, if you control fear, you control everyone. To have power over fear...is to rule over everything. Everybody fears something and therefore everyone can be controlled."

"Then tell me doctor, if everybody fears something, what do you fear?"

"I fear nothing. I am fear. I am the scarecrow, the master of fear."

"That's hypocritical, your ideals are flawed beyond belief."

"Mine make complete sense to a worthy mind, what do you fear Harlein?"

"I refuse to play into your delusional beliefs."

"Then I won't play into yours."

"Mine aren't delusional."

"You refuse to see fear as the power it is. That my intrest in it is almost textbook delusion."

"This is my session, not yours Dr Crane."

Crane smiles smugly and leans back in his seat.

"You call me by my title. That's hardly professional. Considering my liscense was snatched away the moment I was caught tampering with the water supply. I like you Dr Quinzel, when my inevitable escape comes, I will not dispose of you. Your mind on the other hand, I can't promise the same protection."


	2. Chapter 2

The next night, 7:26 pm

Harley waits impatiently at the restaurant she was to meet her friend. She pulls out her phone and dials her number in annoyance.

"Hello?"

"Where the hell are you, Michelle?!"

"Crap! Today is Thursday isn't it? I've been a little out of it lately, been thinking about some stuff, ya know?"

"You could have just checked your phone or something."

"Next week I'll remember, kay?"

"Fine. See you next week."

Session two

"Dr Quinzel overseeing patient 27263, otherwise known as Johnatan Crane, otherwise known as the scarecrow. So tell me Johnatan, how has your week been?"

"You've requested to Jerimiah that I should be granted access to the rec room with the other level three inmates. He turned your recommendation down. How does that make you feel?"

"Might I remind you that this is my session? Besides, it doesn't matter that he turned me down, he's my boss."

"Don't you have any self respect? He rejected your professional request simply because he sees you as a pawn that can be controlled to his liking. Not the doctor that you are. You should show him that you are correct. I do need to get out more."

"What are you implying?"

"Oh don't concern yourself with the ramblings of a mental patient. Just remember, when I don't get out, I feel the need to express myself in...other ways. You can quote me on that. When are you working overtime this week?"

"Tomorrow...why?"

"Doesn't matter. My week has been dull, too dull. I'm increadibly bored all day in my cell."

11:43 pm, office of Dr Jerimiah Arkham.

Dr Arkham poured over the paperwork that lay scattered across his desk. He pauses to glance at the clock in tired frustration. He hears a creaking noise from the hallway.

"Hello? Mr Bolton? You are supposed to be on duty tonight, not taking coffee breaks."

He walks into the hallway, looking around in confusion.

"Damn asylum trying to make me insane." He mutters to himself.

"It's not just you, this place drives everyone slightly insane."

Dr Arkham spins around just in time for Crane to toss a handful of powder in his face. Arkham coughs as he breathes in the toxin.

"Don't worry, it's a non leathal dose. You'll recover just in time for the day shift. Enjoy, I'd stay and watch, but I'd rather not get man handled by Bolton."

Crane casually walks down the hallway to the stairs.

Session three

"Dr Quinzel overseeing patient 27263, otherwise known as Johnatan Crane, otherwise known as the scarecrow. Do you care to tell me about the incident last week?"

Crane shrugs as best as he can within his strait jacket.

"I needed something to occupy my energy. Since I didn't get to entertain myself in the rec room, I decided to find a new test subject. After all, what better subject then the man who stole my position here?"

"If you were mad, why didn't you kill him? I highly doubt you'd let that happen on accident."

"He's close. Soon enough, he'll be locked up across from me. I'm not about to ruin my chance to welcome him as an inmate. Then I'll give him a concetrated dose."

"Okay, then why didn't you go after Rachael Dawes before you were brought here?"

Crane looks at her with annoyance.

"It's rather difficult when you are hiding in the narrows, making deals with...it's better if you don't know, and avoiding the batman. But rest assured, if I had the opportunity, I'd show her the finer points of electrotherapy, especially after what she did at our last encounter."

Harley let's out a quiet giggle and Crane stares bullets thru her.

"I'm sorry. It's just that...there's this YouTube video and...tazed in the face."

"You mean to tell me..."

"Yeah, poisoned or not, everybody has a cell phone, of corse some kid got you, the big bad scarecrow, screaming like a little girl."

"Who?!"

"I don't know."

"If I ever find the fool who recorded me, he's on my list. Change the subject before I put you as number four."

"Fine. Why do you feel the need to spread fear?"

"Because I am fear."

"You cause hallucinations. That's hardly fear. It's chemistry."

"I don't need my toxin to control people."

"Yes. That's your M.O."


	3. Chapter 3

Harley groans as she stares at the out of order sign on the employee elevator, knowing the only way to reach the other one was to cross thru level three. Harley climbs the three levels in annoyance because of her heels. Once she reaches the third level, she hears sobbing and notices a nurse is crying in front of Cranes cell. She runs to the sobbing woman in alarm.

"Nurse Michelle?!"

Michelle snaps her head in Harleys direction. As Harley approaches, she wipes away her tears.

"What's going on? Are you alright?"

"Don't worry Harley I'm fine. I just stubbed my toe."

Michelle smiles nervously as Harley shifts her gaze to Crane, smirking in his cell.

"What did you do?!"

Crane replies in mock dismay.

"Dr Quinzel, I'm hurt. I haven't done anything but sit here. It's not like I could morph someone's mind while locked away. The kind nurse simply indulged me in conversation when she accidentally hurt herself."

Harley turns back to Michelle.

"Be careful around him. I'm about to head home, maybe I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Sounds like a plan."

Session four

Harley bites her lip nervously.

"Where is she Johnatan?"

"If you expect me to answer that, you'll have to be more specific."

"Nurse Michelle Thompson. We have the security footage of you pretending to choke and drugging her when she tried to save you. Where did you take her?! They found you in your cell, her scrubs were in your lap for crying out loud! Did you kill her?"

"No."

"Will you?"

"Depends."

"On what?"

"How our sessions go. She has enough supplies to last for a month."

"If you won't tell me where she is...at least tell me what you did to her."

Crane studies her face for a moment before relaxing.

"I won't give you the details but, it'll be better if you let her die."

"How can you say that?"

"Because it's my professional opinion."

"You're not a doctor anymore."

"Even so, sometimes it's better to accept a rotten truth than a spotless lie. Nobody likes it but it is what it is."

"It's okay to lie, if it's for a good reason."

"Tell me, if you had a choice between learning your friend died or being told they never found the body, what would you perfer?"

"The later. To keep me hoping."

"Then you would rather be in denial for a false sense of hope? Maybe you should be locked up as well Harlein."

"Criminals should be locked up Dr Crane. Not me. People who steal and murder and do horrible things."

"If a man cheats on his wife, isn't that wrong?"

"Well...yes."

"Does he deserve punishment for his misdeeds?"

"Um...he...doesn't deserve to be locked up in a place like this."

"Are you sure? Some people would disagree. People commit horrible acts everyday, not all of them are illegal. What do they deserve?"

"They'll get their due karma in good time."

"You can't rely on that way of thinking. You can't rely on anyone but yourself anymore."

Harley juggles her cup of coffee and the case file in her hands as she snatches the remote on her coffee table and turns on the tv. She sets down her cup before plopping down on the couch and opening her patients case file.

"...and nobody will ever be the same. In other news, it has been over a week since twenty year old Michelle Thompson was kidnapped from her job at Arkham Asylum. Although police know the inmate that did this horrendous act, they remain baffled as to Michelles whereabouts. She is suspected dead...

Don't worry, I'll find you as soon as I can.

...As most of you remember, earlier this month the Gotham National Bank was robbed of thirty million dollars in bills. Only one of the suspects was seen on camera and his identity remains unknown..."

Harley glances up at the tv in curiousity.

"...Commishioner Gordon replied no comment. This Saturday there will be a small memorial service for those lost in the tragedy."

Harley takes a sip of her coffee and turns back to the file.

Need to focus. Crane has Michelle... somewhere. From what he's said, she probably only has three weeks left.

Session five

Harley straightens up her paperwork before she hears a knock at her office door.

"Dr Quinzel, I have Crane."

"So tell me Michael, how has your salary been?"

"Fine. Shut up."

"Still twenty thousand?"

"None of your business."

Harley finishes straightening up her desk and turns to the door.

"Come in."

The guard opens the door and pulls Crane into the office then into the chair across from Harley.

"You don't have to do that."

"What do you care? The nut has been pissing me off all week."

"He's still a human being. You may leave now."

"You sure you don't want extra security? The camera doesn't work in here. Nobody would know..."

"Please leave us to our session, Michael."

The guard glares at Crane before leaving the office and shutting the door behind him. Harley turns back to Crane.

"Hello Dr Crane. If it's alright with you, I'd like to try something different this week."

He cocks an eyebrow. "And what would that be, Harlein?"

"I want to talk about a subject that interests you this week... Fear."

Crane smirks and relaxes in his seat.

"I'm surprised that you aren't going to question the whereabouts of Miss Thompson like the dozens of officers this week. Why the change in subject?"

"Well, I just figured that you'd be sick of hearing the same questions all the time. But if you don't want to talk about your work..."

"It would be rude to deny the curiousity of one interested in my work, seeing as there are so few. Are you sure you want to have this conversation Harlein?"

Harley pauses and glances at her broken security camera before answering. "Yes. Yes I would."

"Then I suggest you start the session, I'd prefer if you didn't make any notes on this matter."

"Just the tape?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because you may want to listen later in the privacy of your home."

"Fine."

Harley sets aside her notepad and pushes the record button on her tape recorder.

"Dr Quin..."

"Harlein, if you want this conversation, then this is my session, not yours."

Harley pauses thoughtfully.

"Alright. Go ahead."

"Dr Crane overseeing subject 12739, Harlein Quinzel. Subjects phobia is currently unknown but should become present soon. Harlein, enlighten me on your childhood. Any paticularly Intresting experiences that come to mind?"

Harley shifts in her seat and thinks back.

"Nothing big."

"What about your home life?"

"My mom worked double shifts at a diner, my brother is a lazy slob with two kids from two girls and no girlfriend."

"Your father?"

"In and out of Blackgate. We stopped relying on him years ago."

"Why has he been incarcerated?"

"Con artist stuff. This last time, he stole twenty grand from this poor guy."

"Is that why you chose the field of psychiatry?"

Harley crosses her arms.

"Excuse me?"

"Did you chose your career based on your need to understand how he could abandon his family over money?"

"Actually yes."

"So you have yet to accept that basing your career on the actions of one person is a waste."

"How so?"

"If you base your career on your father, who most likely never cared for you or your family, is a waste of time and money. Soon enough, you'll realize that your desperate need for understanding will lead to an inevitably dull and pointless career. That is until one day you either go insane, or get yourself killed because of your place of work."

"Are you implying that I'll end up like you?"

"I highly doubt you are intelligent enough to achieve what I have."

"Really? Because I'm sure an intelligent person wouldn't do something as idiotic as holding their experiments in their own asylum."

Crane glares daggers at Harley before recomposing himself.

"But I did avoid getting captured for two years."

"True, but during those two years, you did show the woman who took you out with a tazer your base of operations."

"Good to see you actually did your job and read my file, rather than getting on your knees to get ahead."

"I think that says more about the man who took your job than me. You must have really been terrible if they replaced you with a man that hires based on appearance rather than skill."

"I graduated early, but I'm sure you were the top of your class as well."

"I didn't sleep my way to my position here at the asylum."

"I never said you did, but you just admitted it."

Harley pauses and gets wide eyed as Crane smiles smugly at her.

"Now why don't you stop trying to trick me into revealing the whereabouts of Miss Thompson and just ask?"

"Will you tell me?"

"She's in an abandoned building."

"And? There's hundreds of them here in the narrows alone."

"Oh, I know. That's all you get Harlein. That concludes our session, I look forward to seeing you next week."

**A/N: Crane counts his 'patients' one by one...I wonder how narcissistic he has to be to count everyone who got gassed in batman begins...**


	4. Chapter 4

The next morning, 7:22 am

Her heels echoing thru the empty hallway, Harley made her way to her bosses office the following morning. She stops in front of his door and knocks loudly.

"Come in."

Harley walks inside and is surprised to see a tall man in a green tinted suit standing beside Dr Arkham.

"Harlein, come in. This is detective Nashton, he's leading the search on finding Miss Thompson."

Harley relaxes and walks into the office, closing the door behind her. The detective holds out his hand and Harley takes it, assuming he's going to shake it, only to have him bring her hand to his lips. He releases her hand and she looks away, slightly embarrassed.

"Mr Nashton is going to be sitting in on your next session with Crane."

Harley looks back up and composes herself.

"Thank you for letting me know in advance. I look forward to working with Mr Nashton."

"The feeling is mutual Dr Quinzel, and please call me Edward."

Three days later, 5:57 pm

Harley paces around her living room mindlessly as she listens to Detective Nashton over the phone and the tv is on mute in the background.

"Yes, I know how crucial this is but..."

"Then you see why I must percist Doctor."

"But I don't believe in that type of treatment. It's unethical in my opinion, and I'm not the only one who thinks so."

"He's a menace to society, granted he once was a respected doctor, but desperate times call for desperate measures."

"This is just a missing persons case, why is this such a huge deal that you are actually suggesting threatening him with...that?!"

"It will get him to talk. And if he talks, we come that much closer to solving this!"

"If you threatened to shock me into compliance, I'd tell you too! But it's wrong! You know as well as I do that he'll call our bluff and we'll have no choice but to... Electroshock is for extreme cases Detective, my patient is sick, but not incurable!"

"If we back down when he calls us out, he'll have the upperhand. We ARE going to find out what happened to Miss Thompson. No matter what it takes."

"Sir, with all do respect, threatening someone isn't always the best option. And so help me if you go behind my back and..."

Harley glances at the tv and dashes for the remote. She unmutes it anxiously.

"What is..."

"Sush! Turn on the news!"

Harley sits down as the scene unfolds before her.

"...and every day that he hides, people will die...I'm a man of my word..."

A chill goes down Harleys spine at the sound of his cackle from the tv. The video feed ends and the news anchor returns, slightly slack jawed.

"Um, so...that was a live feed from the murderer better known as the Joker. More on this story as it unfolds, I'm Vikki Vale and this has been GNN."

Harley remembers the phone by her ear.

"Edward?"

"...Yes?"

"Did you just catch that?"

"Yes."

"...So, do you think you'll reconsider the electroshock therapy? There's more important things for you to be working on, I'm sure."

Harley struggles to hear his response muttered to himself.

"...Maybe...the bat...just maybe..."

"Edward?"

"Oh yes! I'll look into other options. But yes, it seems I have more pressing matters at hand, thank you for your time Doctor."

Session six

Harley rushes to her office as she mentally hits herself for sleeping in. She arrives at her door and quickly pulls it open, only to find Crane waiting patiently in the chair wearing a strait jacket. He doesn't turn or look in her direction as she steps inside.

"It's good to see you're early as always Dr Quinzel. I was begining to hope you had been involved in an unfortunate accident, but alas, wishful thinking..."

"Good morning to you too Dr Crane."

Harley closes the door and sets her things down on top of her desk before turning to her file cabinet and pulling out Cranes file. She pulls her tape recorder out of her bag and turns it on before relaxing and facing Crane.

"Shall we begin?"

"Locked away either way, may as well."

Harley smiles and turns on her tape recorder.

"Dr Quinzel overseeing patient 27263, otherwise known as Johnatan Crane, otherwise known as Scarecrow. So, what would it take for me to get you to tell me where Michelle is?"

"Resorting to bribery? Very well then, let's see... I'd like my old lab back, my rightful position as head of the asylum, and the batman trembling at my feet, but I don't suppose that's going to happen anytime soon."

Harley bites her lip nervously as she sits back in her chair. Crane raises an eyebrow.

"What?"

"I'm just thinking...about..."

"About what?"

"A compromise?"

Crane smirks and leans back in his chair.

"And what made you come to this conclusion?"

"Well, it's either this or...electroshock."

"I see. What do you have, that I want?"

Harley glances at the broken security camera then back to Crane.

"What if I was your...test subject...for a session?"

A sinister smile spreads across Cranes face.

"So to confirm, you are volunteering your services for the benefit of my research? Well, if that's the case, then I'd happily reveal the whereabouts of Miss Thompson. Once you uphold your end of corse. It would be under my conditions and would remain between us. I have no guarantee for your mentality but Miss Thompson will live."

"...Deal. When do we...?"

"Next session, I look forward to it."


	5. Chapter 5

Session seven

Harley nervously sits in her office as she waits for Crane to enter.

It's for Michelle. Don't screw up your only shot at getting her back.

A knock at the door snaps Harley from her thoughts.

"Dr Quinzel? I've got Crane here."

"Come in." Harley answers trying to hide the dread laced in her voice.

The door opens and the guard roughly shoves Crane into the seat. Harley gulps at the sinister smile spread across his face.

"Do you want me to stay, Dr Quinzel?"

Harley glances from the broken security camera to Crane and sighs in defeat.

"Everything is fine, you can go, I'll call if I need you."

"...Alright. I'll be just outside if you need me."

The guard exits the room, closing the door behind him. Crane studies Harleys expression for a moment before speaking.

"Now if you'd kindly undo this strait jacket, we can proceed."

Harley nods before standing up and walking over to stand behind Crane. She hesitantly unbuckles each of the straps securing his arms until he unwraps his arms and Harley pulls the jacket off of him. The moment she gets it off of his arms, she is met by a facefull of a substance he had been holding in his hand. She stumbles backward and coughs at the sudden intrusion to her lungs as Crane stands up. He walks over to her and grabs her face. Frowning at her attempt to hold her breath, he squeezes her face roughly forcing her eyes open.

"Don't fight it, deep breaths Harlein. You don't want your act of foolish bravery to go to waste, now do you?"

Harley forces herself to suck in a deep breath and his smile widens.

"Good. You can follow basic instructions. So tell me, what do you see? What do you fear?"

Harley gets wide eyed and pushes away from Cranes grasp. She falls to the floor with a thud and backs away from him as best as she can while he walks over to her leisurely.

"Tell me, before you start to scream. If you want the girls whereabouts, you'll tell me what you see this instant."

Tears begin to stream down Harleys cheeks as she takes in the sight before her.

"...No...I couldn't...I tried...so hard...I failed you...Michelle...I'm sorry..."

Crane pauses for a moment before continues his walk over to Harleys trembling form.

"Atychiphobia? How mundane. I expected at the very least Cacophobia... If I didn't know any better, I'd suspect that you have a personal relation to Miss Thompson. Who is she to you?"

"...My best...friend..."

"Well then, you shouldn't even be my doctor. You've been keeping secrets, I'm sure you know as much as I do that any personal connection to the patient or any of the patients victims requires mandatory reassignment. That's why you have made no move to address the disabled security camera, why you've been trying methods that are aginst the strict regulations here. I must say, you are much more Intresting than I originally thought. I'm impressed."

"...M..."

Crane crouches down by Harleys face.

"What was that?"

"...Mic...Michelle..."

"Oh yes, your friend. The abandoned warehouse on third street. When you arrive, a few of my men are watching her, tell them the code Agateophobia and they'll show you to Miss Thompson. But when you reach her, keep in mind what I have told you."

Behind him, the office door opens. Crane frowns in disappointment.

"Can't I ever conduct my sessions in peace?"

"Get away from her Crane! I need some help here! What the Hell did you do to her?!"

3:54 pm, Infirmary

Harley moans at the throbing pain inside her head as she wakes up to blinding lights and white walls.

"Hey, she's waking up!"

Harley opens her eyes as two of her coworkers surround her bed.

"What the hell? I feel like someone threw a rock at my brain or something."

"Don't you remember? Crane got out of his strait jacket and tried to poison you! But on the upside, it wasn't much toxin so it wore off after three hours. You're lucky to be alive."

Harley turns to the doctor and rubs her temple as she responds.

"You're exaggerating. You said it yourself, it was just a low dose. The worst it did was send me on one of his fear trips, I'm fine. Just give me some aspirin and..."

Harley bolts up as realization hits her.

"Did you find Michelle?!"

The doctors look solemly at one another before one pats Harley on the back comfortingly.

"Oh no...she died, didn't she?!"

"No...not really."

"Then can I talk to her, please?!"

"Michael overheard some of your conversation with Crane...why didn't you mention that she was close to you?"

"Because I don't mix work and home. Can I please talk to her?!"

"No. She isn't exactly...coherent. My condolences."

Harley grabs the doctor by his collar and pulls him close.

"What the Hell did he do to her?!"

The doctor gulps nervously.

"When the police found her, she had been...had been...well you see..."

"Spit it out!"

"Crane...before he came back...he...he..."

"Yes?!"

"Lobotomized her...Crane lobotomized her... I'm so sorry Dr Quinzel. There's nothing we can do."

Harley freezes and releases her grip on the doctor as she stares off in shock.

"We would've taken you to a hospital to...detox, but there's been a... Larry! Get a tv in here!"

Twelve days later, 4:21 pm

Harley is jolted awake from the couch where she had fallen asleep by her phone ringing. She fumbles around her coffee table until she reaches it and answers it just before the voicemail kicked in.

"Hello?"

"Dr Quinzel, we realize that we gave you your requested two weeks leave, but we need you to come in for our new patient."

Harley absently runs a hand thru her hair as she stands and paces around her living room.

"Listen, I know you guys are used to seeing people drop dead, but this job just cost me my best friend...cut me some slack."

"But you did so well with Crane that..."

"Well?! He took over the session and I ended up on the wrong end of a fear trip. How exactly is that doing well?!"

"You were his first doctor, not to mention he was your first level three. I'm amazed you came out in one piece. That's why we want you to have this one, you're the only one evenremotely qualified to deal with someone worse than Crane."

Harley pauses in disbelief.

"You know Jerry, I'm starting to think you don't like me. Because one can't help but wonder why the hell I would even consider someone worse! When I go back, I want to do my old patients, suicide thiefs, I'm done with murderers trying to destroy the city."

"At least hear me out. I know you've been looking in Metropolis for other options. But just take this one patient, Dr Young is taking over for Crane, think about how much this patient would help your reputation. Try a session, if you don't get anything, you can quit, but we're desperate."

Harley leans against her kitchen counter and sighs.

"Fine, who's my mystery patient?"

"Do you watch the news?"

"When I can. Why?"

"It's the Joker."


	6. Chapter 6

Session one

Harley shifts in her seat, anxiously awaiting her new patients arrival. A knock at the door gets her attention.

"Come in."

The guard walks into the room, shoving Joker ahead of him before shoving him into the seat across from Harley. He looks her over and smiles, the guard looks over at Harley uneasily.

"Dr Arkham says I have to be in here for the first session...because of the incident and all."

"It's alright. Do you mind standing by the door?"

"Okay, but if he makes any sudden movements I'll have to come closer."

"Fair enough."

The guard gulps at the Joker as he glares at him. The guard walks over by the door and leans against the wall. Harley smiles at the Joker in excitement and anticipation. She pushes down the button on her tape recorder.

"Dr Quinzel overseeing patient 6235683, otherwise known as John Doe, otherwise known as the Joker. Hello, how are you liking Arkham, Mr Doe?"

"That's not my name."

"Well, if I knew your name, then I'd happily call you by it."

He chuckles lightly.

"Did you really think it was going to be that easy, Doc? You're going to have to do better than that."

"Alright...so what do you like to be called? Because I can't call you by the name you use."

"Actually Doc, I've never gone around calling myself that. No, like most of lifes problems you can blame the media. I'm not some nutjob that runs around with a potato sack on my head or anything. I'm one of a kind...like you."

"As charming as that is, as you put it, you're going to have to do better than that. But I still have to call you something, any preferances?"

"What about...J? It's simple and original. So now you've got a name out of me Doc, what's yours?"

"It's Doctor Quinzel."

"No. I mean your full name."

"That would be unprofessional."

"And your point is...?"

"I'm not allowed to give you my first name. It might give you the wrong idea."

"And what would that be?"

"That I'm not just your doctor."

"You see Doc, the thing is, how can you expect me to...let you dig thru my brain, if you don't trust me enough to give me your name. Trust is a two way street."

Harley bites her lip in slight annoyance.

"Dr Harlein Quinzel."

Joker pauses for a moment before his face lights up with excitement.

"What. A. Name. If I may say so. It's absolutely perfect, a little work and you get...Harley Quinn. A perfect name. And I should know. Who knows, maybe we're meant to be."

"J, that's enough about me, let's talk about you."

"If you insist. Ask away Doc, for you, I'm an open book, but...only for you."

Joker glances over at the guard and then back at Harley.

"Um...okay...Michael!"

The guard jerks his head twords Harley.

"Is something wrong Dr Quinzel?"

"Actually I need you to step outside for a few minutes."

"But Dr Arkham said..."

"I know, but please...just this once?"

The guard glares at Joker before stepping out and closing the door behind him. Harley smiles at Joker.

"So, where should we start?"

**A/N: Hey everyone, sorry for ditching this story. I haven't even written anything for it in three months! But I've decided to post what I already have written. I hope you guys like it and who knows? I might get some creative juices flowing.**


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